A Jewish Christmas?
by trycee
Summary: **This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4 with Humor and Angst!
1. Chapter 1

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 1**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Scully sat next to Mulder on his black leather couch, pouring over the files that were resting on her lap. More lay in front of her on the coffee table. She could hear Mulder sigh next to her but she refused to look up from her work. She knew it was boredom on Mulder's part and only boredom that made him sigh. A knock at his apartment door brought Scully out of her thoughts. Mulder threw down the papers he was battling to read in his hands and stood up, pulling out his wallet. "Its been more than 40 minutes, shouldn't it be free?", he said, flashing a beautiful smile her way.

"Mulder...this is Carl's Pizza Shack...I think the only thing you'll get free is indigestion."

He smirked and then pulled open the door. A young curly haired man peered in over Mulder's shoulder at Scully. "Ummm...", the guy said, looking her over.

He then focused on Mulder's face which was rigid as he glared at the young man. The pizza guy's eyes widen and he smiled apologetically. "$13.50."

Mulder handed him the cash and snatched the pizza from his hands still giving him a stern look. He slammed the door in his face and returned to the coffee table, pizza in hand. Scully waved Mulder's cell phone in his face. "Mulder...it's your mother."

He looked stunned. "My who?"

"Your mother," she whispered.

Mulder plopped down next to her and took the phone from her hands. He stared at the receiver for a moment and then placed it to his ear. "Mom?"

"Fox," Teena Mulder said. "Fox...I haven't heard from you in awhile..."

Mulder's face tightened. "I've been busy..."

"Fox...its almost Christmas..."

Mulder was silent. "Yeah...in a few days."

"Will I see you Fox?"

"Ah-mm...", Mulder said, looking directly into Scully's eyes. "It depends upon what Scully has planned."

"Oh!", Teena said with a trace of disappointment. "I didn't realize that you two were seeing each other."

Mulder glanced over to Scully to see if she'd heard any of his mother's conversation. She was engrossed in a file. "What did you have planned Mom?"

"Maybe just to see you on Christmas eve...or Christmas day? We really haven't spent the holidays together since you were a boy living at home Fox."

"I'll...ah...", he said, glancing again to Scully.

She heard every word but was pretending to care about the results of a blood sample taken at the scene of their last X-File. She noticed as well that he never corrected his mother about their relationship..._That was interesting_, she thought to herself.

"I'll have to discuss it with Scully...and I'll call you back."

"Alright Fox," Teena said in her proper sophisticate manner. "Call soon."

"I will...", he said, hanging up.

He sat there a moment and then turned back to Scully. "I know you heard what we were talking about."

She tossed the file onto the coffee table. "Mulder...why won't you go see your mom? I mean you only sit here on Christmas."

"That's not true, Scully," he said, pushing the files out of the way. "I go for a run...I watch _Its a Wonderful Life _and I pig out on Chinese Food."

"Mulder", she sighed an exasperated sigh.

"Well...what are you doing this year?", he said, jumping up and walking into his kitchen. He returned with napkins and two beers. "Are you going over to your mom's or spending it with your brothers out of state?"

"No," she said, shaking her head.

Mulder was surprised. "Scully...don't you spend Christmas with your family every year?"

"No, Mulder..." she lied. "Well, I'll see my mom...she actually asked me to invite you...again."

Mulder smiled shyly. "Its just that...", she began. "My dad died on Christmas day. Normally I can soldier on for awhile but having lost Missy and my dad...I'm not quite sure I want to celebrate it."

Mulder nodded his head as he placed a slice of pizza on a napkin, handing it to her and giving her a cold beer to wash it down with. "What were you going to do then?", Mulder asked curiously.

She looked at him and then turned away shyly. "I don't know...I didn't have plans...I guess I thought maybe you and I could do something together...and then show up later at my mom's..."

"Okay...we'll go to your mom's first and then to my mother's.", he said, taking a bite of the sloppy pizza.

"Mulder, she didn't invite me...something tells me that she wants you there...alone..."

"Scully, I can't be around my mother alone!", he said, popping the top on his beer bottle and downing a few gulps.

"Why not?", she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, we'll go to my mother's first and then your mother's last...where it'll be happier," he smiled.

"Mulder...what happens around the holiday's with your family...what do you do?"

"First of all, Scully...my mother is the only family I have left as you know...not counting Samantha. Secondly...my family never really celebrated the holidays..."

"Why is that, Mulder?", she said, finally taking a bite of her own pizza.

"Scully...", he began but looked into her deep blue eyes and then changed his mind. "Okay...my father was Jewish...but kids are recognized as Jewish typically through a Jewish mother.."

"Right, I know that."

"My mother is a WASP, Scully..."

"Old money..."

"Yeah, " he nodded. "Prim and Proper...as you know my mother to be. The story goes that she married my father against her parents wishes. They didn't outright disown her because my father worked for the state department...but they never came to visit us or cared to know us."

"That's terrible!", she gasped.

"From the time I could remember...I was raised Jewish...I went to temple just like '_real Jewish kid_s'...I went to Hebrew School after regular school...which Samantha and I hated...I even had a Bar Mitzvah. We celebrated Hanukah...", he said, with a far off look in his eyes.

"It was kind of like we were Jewish at Temple and then nothing at home...we never prayed or participated in Seder's or anything really...except Hanukah and to a small extent...we celebrated Christmas...a kind of Jewish Christmas...I guess. We had the tree...but there really wasn't any feeling behind it...we didn't have a big meal or swap gifts..I think maybe it was for show...a way for my mom to show off to all her friends."

Scully reached out and slid one tiny hand in his even though she couldn't grasp his entire hand, they were too large. But he smiled though at her attempt. "My parents weren't really involved with us, Scully. They kind of had a hands off approach in raising us. They were usually off with neighbor's or friends...doing whatever parents used to do back then."

He could see Scully's eyes dulled as his words seeped into her mind.

"So when Samantha was taken...my parents divorced and I went to live with my mom...that's when suddenly she decided to change everything about me...after all, she was Protestant and though she was never really religious, she suddenly had me baptized...had me attend Sunday School with kids who were raised their entire lives having never met a Jew, so I was the one that played the Jewish Towns people during Christmas plays or the one that sacrificed Jesus at Easter."

Scully's looked horrified. "Mulder...that's terrible."

"I stopped going and it caused a rip between us, there already was plenty of rips between us. I was left alone to live with her and I barely saw her most of the time...She had other business and I was mainly in her way. She only went to church for special occasions herself after awhile. But then Christmas would come..it was horrible. My parents would fight over who I'd spend the holidays with, neither really wanted me...I was their throw-away child...what they really wanted was Samantha," he said, taking another swig on his beer.

Scully's eyes began to well up but she pushed it down, looking at him with sorrowful eyes.

"It was hard for me going from one religious tradition my entire life to another and then to nothing...We stopped celebrating any holidays by the time I was 18...I went to Oxford...and honestly...I have never been back during the holidays with either of my parents...and well...now with my dad gone...I especially don't want to spend it with my mother Scully."

"You really should spend it with your Mom though, Mulder," she said, tightening her grip on his hands which lay on her lap. "You never know how many years you have with her left."

"Yeah but not alone, Scully...", he said, looking at her. "The thing is, Scully...my mother and I have no relationship. I don't know if he even was my father," he said under his breath.

Scully heard him and tightened her grip. "I'll go with you if you want..."

"I do...", he smiled. "I couldn't bare it alone...not with just the two of us. You'd need the police present if that were the case."

"I'm so sorry Mulder that this was your experience..."

"Scully...you had a loving family...mine was dysfunctional in ways I couldn't even explain," he said, reaching for another slice.

Scully's first piece sat on a napkin on the coffee table, cold and withered up. She pushed it away. "What would your mother like for Christmas, Mulder?"

He looked at her flabbergasted. "You're gonna give her a gift?"

"Of course," she said confused. "That's what you do Mulder...you bring a gift to the host."

Mulder laughed, shaking his head. "I'm sure whatever you give her, Scully...it won't be good enough. It's never good enough."

Scully looked dismayed for a moment and then looked back into Mulder's deep hazel eyes. "Will you shop with me, Mulder? We never have time to shop and we need a gift for my mom as well." She paused for a moment. "And should we exchange gifts?", she asked uncertain.

"We usually keep it under $20...well...since last year."

"Yeah the first year we didn't exchange anything...the second year...that was a tough year," she said, looking off, and then I think last year was the first year we did exchange gifts...but we set a $20 limit."

"Yeah...", he said, embarrassed.

She'd given him a nice sweater and he'd given her an old black and white horror movie. Scully couldn't hide her distaste for the movie as they watched it at his apartment on Christmas eve. Secretly though for Mulder, having her watch a movie with him was a gift to himself. They hardly ever saw each other outside of work as friends or spent any time together unless they were pouring over a report or one of them was gravely ill, so he had cherished that memory.

"We could do that, Scully. Hit the mall," he smiled. "Tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah," she smiled back, a rarity in itself. "Okay, back to paperwork..."

**REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED: THANKS!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 2**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Scully walked side by side with Mulder through the Georgetown Park Mall, making there way through each of the three floors. Mulder couldn't help but notice the bright smile on Scully's face as she looked at the beautifully decorated mall with large Victorian style lamps throughout. It looked to Mulder like a picturesque quaint little village instead of a mall. Normally he would never step foot in a place like this, but Scully was with him and any chance he got to be with Scully, he took it. She was glancing all around excitedly as they window shopped, occasionally ducking into a store just to come out empty handed. She glanced in his direction a few times, asking him about one item or the other but he couldn't hear a word she was saying...he could only stare at the light in her eyes and at the crown jewel of them all, Scully's smile. "Mulder? Mulder?", she was saying.

"Hmm?", he said, as they stood outside a store filled with antique vases and Oriental rugs.

"Typical of a man...", she sighed. "Mulder...would your mom like anything in here?"

Mulder finally broke his gaze from her for a second to look at the items in the window and shook his head and then returned his gaze upon her.

She was watching him from the corner of her own eyes, she couldn't help but watch him...though she felt a little guilty thinking of him in that way. She smiled inwardly trying hard to keep a cool exterior but inside her stomach was churning. How many times had she come into this mall alone? She couldn't remember...and now she was finally here with Mulder, with him carrying the two sweater's they'd bought for Maggie as though they were a couple. She needed to push that thought out of her mind but it was hard. This was one of her many 'normal' fantasies about Mulder...one of her mundane fantasies...Fantasies formed when she walked past a couple in the mall who were so in love they barely noticed anything else around them. She would glance at them quickly, wishing she were one of those women...walking happily with Mulder and now she finally had her chance. She smiled at him again and could see his eyes fill with warmth. She loved that look from him...it was a look that inwardly made her heart skip.

They strolled past the Victoria Secret's store, she gave a quick glance and smirk over to Mulder, waiting for an innuendo but she could see he hadn't noticed any of the teddies or other tasteful items...his eyes were still locked onto her.

"Dana...Hey, Dana!", a voice called out.

Scully stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong Scully?", Mulder asked oblivious.

"Dana!", a woman said, approaching them. "How are you?", a tall brown haired sales woman with Jules written on her name-tag asked as she stood in front of them.

"Jules, how are you?", Scully said, as her cheeks turned a slight pink in color.

"Is this _the _guy you've been buying all those lingerie sets for?", the woman said, eying Mulder.

Scully gasped, her eyes fell straight to the floor as her face turned a deep maroon shade.

"Have you seen the pink one?", Jules asked Mulder.

"No," he said honestly, with his eyebrows raised. Just the thought of Scully in pink lingerie had caused a blush to form on his own face. "Wow...", he muttered.

"Oh, you've got to show him that one," Jules continued. "But I bet its no match for that red ensemble you bought the other day," she said, giving Mulder a wink.

She then turned to Scully, not noticing the way Scully seemed to shrink into the floor. "No wonder you're in here all the time, Dana," she said, nudging Scully's shoulder.

"Ah...right," Scully said, shooting Mulder a nervous glance. He looked back at her nervously and they both turned their gazes elsewhere.

"Let me know how it all went," Jules continued. "Especially that black lace bustier with the garter straps..."

Both Scully and Mulder let out a sound but Jules didn't notice; she just continued to smile. "Well, I'll let you two love birds get back to shopping," she winked and walked off leaving them standing frozen in place.

"Scu..."

"Mulder, please don't say anything," Scully said, unable to look at him. "Oh my god...I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be...", he said, running his hand over her back. He was trying to hold his lustful smile in, trying to control it and his other thoughts. "I'll tell you one thing though Scully...", he started to say..."_I'll be having sweet dreams for a month or more..."_,he thought to himself.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," he said, with a wide grin.

"Mulder", she blushed, still not looking at him. "How would you like it if someone walked up to me and started telling me about some boxers you wore..."

"It's different for men than women," he said, finally letting his eyes rest upon her. "Men don't wear lace..."

"Oh god!", she said walking off ahead of him.

He smiled as he watched her storm off but he caught up to her, grabbing her arm. "Scully...come on...I won't bring it up or anything...I don't want you embarrassed. Scully we're best friends...we're bound to get embarrassed in front of each other once in awhile..."

She nodded but kept her eyes low. " I feel a little light headed."

"Sure," he said, pointing towards a restaurant.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her along. He glanced at her a few times and could tell she was trying to compose herself. There was a flush of heat at the back of his neck when he looked at her so he was glad when they made their way into the pub-style restaurant of Clyde's of Georgetown. The waitress seated them at a table and then brought them some warm french bread and butter and ice cold water. Mulder ordered a beer and Scully ordered a glass of wine. They tried not to look at each other but finally, Scully threw down her menu. "Okay...", she said looking deadly serious. "We're both adults, Mulder...women buy lingerie...that's nothing new."

"Sexy women...", he said under his breath.

"Hmm?", she said, not catching his words fully.

"Oh...I said...Underwear for women...", he smiled and then glanced back down to his menu. "I think I want the cheese and bacon burger...how about you?"

She shook her head. "Mulder...you know I don't want anything heavy...I'll have the tuna melt."

"Way to be daring, Scully." Mulder chuckled.

Scully smiled and then took a sip of her wine. "Okay...I'll be a little more daring then Mulder..."

She signal for the waitress. "Two Guinness off the tap, please!"

The waitress smiled and walked off. Mulder grabbed up her wine glass and his beer moving them out of the way. "You are drinking Guinness in the middle of the day? Isn't that breaking some type of Scully rule or something?"

"Mulder...I'm not a hard-ass..."

Mulder's eyebrow's raised. She could see the thoughts cross his mind...*_Hard Ass*_..."God Mulder get your mind out of the gutter, would you?"

"Alright...", he said, throwing up his hands. "But Scully...I'm a guy...there'd be something wrong with me if I didn't think like that..."

The waitress sat the two pints of Guinness down in front of them. It had a thick creamy foam header and had been poured just right. Scully tapped Mulder's glass and drank some of the dark liquid. "Ummm...very good."

Mulder took a sip and his mouth twisted up. He forced the liquid down his throat. "Okay...not what I expected."

Scully shook her head, laughing a little. "Okay...let's get back on task...we came here to find our mother's a gift from both of us. We only have my mom's gifts..."

"Probably because she's the easiest to shop for Scully."

"We've been through the entire mall on the day before Christmas eve...god help us...and yet we haven't found a thing."

"There's no use Scully," he said, pushing the Guinness closer to her side of the table and reaching for his normal beer. "She doesn't appreciate much..."

"Maybe some flowers? Or a religious item..."

"Hmmm...", Mulder said, tapping the table with his thumb. "A religious item..."

"Or would that be inappropriate. "

"Maybe a cross necklace like yours, Scully. I've seen her admire it when she's seen you..."

"Mulder...she's only seen me once or twice and it was either at your dad's funeral and you weren't there."

"That's it, Scully, we'll get her a cross necklace. It'll be our gift together...hey she thinks we're a couple anyway..."

"She does?", she said, giving him the eye. "Why would she think that?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently. "Not a clue..."

The waitress placed their food in front of them and Mulder began to bite into his burger. "Or we could go to another mall and walk around that one too..."

"Oh...no...another mall means another Victoria's Secret..."

Mulder eyes widen. "You frequent them, Scully?"

"Shut up Mulder and eat your food!"

After they had eaten, they made their way to a Jeweler's in the mall. They looked at all the cross pendants available and finally they both reached for the same ¼ carat white diamond medallion pendant interlaced with 10 carat white gold with the stealthy price-tag of nearly five hundred dollars.

"It's beautiful," Scully said as she grasp the pendant on her hand. "But we can't afford this...", she said, looking up to Mulder. "I think we spent only $80 each on these two cardigan sweater's from the both of us for my mother, Mulder," she said, glancing at the wrapped packages he was cradling to his side.

"Don't worry about it, Scully...I'll pay for it...I owe her for a few Christmas's, don't you think."

"Are you sure?", she asked surprised. "I thought this was a joint effort here?"

"Scully...I would never ask you to pay for something like this for my mom. Its too outrageous...I'll handle it and put both of our names on it. Besides...don't you have a little shopping to do for your partner?", he said, pointing to himself. "For less than $20 according to our previously agreed upon price limit set by the both of us..."

She shook her head. "How could I forget?", she said dryly, rolling her eyes. "Fine Mulder...I'll meet you at the entrance in say...a half hour?"

"No problem," he smiled.

She gave him one of her curious looks and then headed out into the mall area. "Is this for her?", the Jeweler asked.

"No...", Mulder said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I wish it was..."

"What are you going to get her?"

Mulder smiled to himself. "I'm not really good at getting her gifts."

"We have some fine Jewelry...perhaps an engagement ring."

"We...ah...we just work together," he said.

The Jeweler looked puzzled. "She's just your co-worker?"

"My partner...we're FBI agents."

The man gave a smirk. "Spending $20 on a woman like that?"

Mulder glanced down at his shoes. "If I give her jewelry...it'll be a little presumptuous. We're best friends...I don't want to mess anything up."

The man nodded that he understood but Mulder could see in his eyes that he thought he was an idiot. Mulder paid for the necklace and walked out. He turned back to see the Jeweler shaking his head and could hear the man say, "Clueless", under his breath. He walked on searching around, hoping he wouldn't bump into Scully when he spotted it through the window..the perfect Christmas gift for Scully.

Scully scanned the stores until she found the store she knew would be his store. She was torn between a sports shop for Mulder and a store with Native American flute songs, Dream catchers and other New Age items but finally the latter won out. She walked into Betsy's Spiritual Wares and smiled at the owner. "May I help you?", Betsy asked.

"Not sure what I'm looking for, " she said, glancing around.

She kept her eyes on the doorway just in case she saw Mulder heading in and she could duck behind something. She needed to surprise him and as they had agreed it needed to be under $20. She knew he would be picking something hideous for her...something related to sports or space ships or an old movie that was _his_ favorite movie and so she'd given up hope on him finding anything she would like. But she wanted to get him something special...something that didn't say, "_Hey Mulder...I'm in love with you but hiding i_t"...no it had to be a gift that said, "Y_ou're special in my life_" without any romantic undertones...just in case he didn't feel the same way she did. And from the way he looked at every tall brunette or buxom blond that came into his scope of vision, she knew that he didn't.

She spotted the item she wanted to buy him and sighed to herself. He was probably buying her another flashlight kit. She bought the Buddha statue and had it wrapped up and then walked back out into the bustling mall hallway, heading for the mall entrance to meet him. Mulder eyed the set of thin gold flashlights and grinned ear to ear. _Perfect,_ he thought to himself. _Just what she needs, how many times have either of us lost our flashlights?_

Mulder took his gift to the counter, a wide smile upon his face. The cashier looked at the small gold flashlights and then back to Mulder. "A gift for yourself, sir?"

"Ah...no," Mulder said modestly. "For my partner...my work partner."

"I'm sure he'll love it, sir."

Mulder shook his head while waving his hands. "No...it's a she...a she."

The cashier took a second look at the gift. "Ah...for a woman?"

The smiled slowly faded from Mulder's face. "What? This is a bad gift?"

"You didn't think of Jewelry?", the young man asked.

Mulder looked annoyed. "This is practical...she'll love it. She's a practical person," he said, though he was having trouble believing it himself.

The cashier handed Mulder his change and scooped up the bag, placing it in his hand. "Good luck to you then...but don't be surprised if a frying pan doesn't head your way...Merry Christmas anyway."

Mulder nodded slowly and then marched off looking for Scully. He tucked his gift for her in the inside of his coat pocket and walked near the Entry way of the mall. She was waiting for him, he could see her in the distance. A few men stopped and stared at her but she didn't seem to notice. She just kept scanning the crowds until her eyes finally rested upon him. She smiled and his heart stopped momentarily. He caught up to her and noticed that snow was coming down heavily outside. He interlocked his arms with hers and walked her out into the cold blustering snow flurries.

**Reviews are Appreciated: Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 3**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Mulder glanced over to Scully curled up under a blanket and pillow wedged by the car door, asleep and looking peaceful. He loved moments like this when he could freely look at her without fear, he could see her delicate features, beautiful without heavy makeup, her striking lips with lipstick or pouty lips without...no matter how he saw them it always made him want to kiss those lips...those lips that had brushed against his cheek when she'd lifted him up when he was hurt or that got his full attention no matter what she said, even when she was mad. Her hair...dark hair is what he could see being color-blind, but he always wanted to run his fingers through her hair...it was always soft, always sweet smelling...always so Scully...his Scully...if only she knew it.

He had to keep from staring at her or else they'd drive off the road...it was late morning when they left but now it was dark with only the street lamps that lined the highway lighting the way to Greenwich, Connecticut. He could see Scully sleeping soundly every time he passed a light post and just as the light hit her face, it seemed to light something within him...something he was struggling with...how could it be that he loved her? He wasn't sure...but he only knew that he did...for along time now but was trying to come to grips with it. After all...most of the women in his life had betrayed him in some form or the other. The worst to hurt him was the woman he should feel the most for...Elizabeth "Teena" Kuipers Mulder. But it was surprising that she was not the one he felt the most for...she was the one he least had feelings for...the one he cared for the most was lying beside him, snuggled up against a foggy window, with her head smushed down into the crevice between the door and her seat where her pillow had wedged itself, and he couldn't help but feel absolute love for her...pure and complete.

Mulder's mind though went back to his mother...What was the reason she wanted to see him suddenly after all these years of holidays...he'd never spent them with her and all of his memories of the holidays were painful. All he remembered was his confusion...his mother's hatred directed towards him because Samantha wasn't there to spend the holidays with them...and he remembered also...her hatred towards his father.

What would this holiday be like? What would spending a Christmas Eve dinner with her be like? It had been so long he couldn't remember. All he could recall was the few times he'd gotten the chance to hear Scully's family celebrations in the background when he'd called her. Their first Christmas as partners, he'd surprised her by calling her Christmas day. He could hear laughter in the background and she sounded so happy and peaceful spending the day with her mother and father at her apartment. That was also the day her father died...the second Christmas, he didn't want to think about...and the third one...he'd spent Christmas evening watching a lame movie with her...some B movie he'd picked up the night before when she said she was stopping by after her mother's to bring him a gift. It had been his first Christmas gift since Diana and Phoebe...this was the first gift a woman had given him since them...and it was from her...his lovely partner...the woman he secretly loved. As he wound through the streets leading to his mother's home, he gently ran his finger across her face..."Scully...we're almost there..." , he said in a gentle voice.

Scully's eyes sprang open and she looked around. The homes were beautiful lined up on the streets with bright Christmas lights all around them. She hadn't had the time to appreciate these homes the time she'd come before. She knew Teena's house the minute she sat eyes on it...it was the only one not decorated. _Her neighbor's must hate her,_ Scully thought as she tried to wake herself from her five hour car-driven coma. Mulder turned off the ignition and turned to her, smiling. She smiled back, stretching and trying to get the crook out of her neck. "I should've slept the other way," she yawned.

"Yeah, so you could've ended up on my lap the whole way," Mulder smiled leeringly.

"Mulder, I'd deck you but I don't think you're mother would like me too much if I did..."

"Come on," he said, stepping out into the snow.

The roads had been plowed and compacted which made his shoes slick over and cause him to slid slightly as he made his way back to the trunk to retrieve their overnight bags. He walked in front of Scully as she trailed in the back, trying to hide her nervousness at showing up at Mulder's mother's home uninvited. He gave her a genuine smile trying to convey to her to relax...that he was with her. She rolled her eyes and waited as he rang the doorbell.

Teena opened the door and smiled slightly as she stood in front of her son. "Fox!", she said, as he hugged her.

She gave him a stiff hug back and then nodded towards Scully. "Dana..."

"Hello, Mrs. Mulder," Scully said, trying to smile. "Thank You for letting me stay overnight..."

"Its the holiday's...", she said, hanging up their coats. She headed towards the den which held two glass doors that were opened. "Fox, put Dana's bag's upstairs...you'll be sleeping down here tonight."

Scully blushed bright red and looked over to Mulder. He looked surprised as well. He knew that despite the fact that his mother was born in Ohio, she had in fact been raised in New England in wealth and with her formal and correct manner's she was letting her son know that she would not in anyway allow her unmarried son to sleep under her roof in the same room with his girlfriend. Mulder thought that maybe he should straightened out the issue of the relationship between himself and Scully...to let his mother know they were merely best friends...partners but then he decided against it...it was none of her business. He gave a wink to Scully who looked thoroughly embarrassed and took her bag upstairs to Teena's guest room across from her own room. Scully stood downstairs with Teena who gave a small smile. She wished she could read her expressions but Teena was a blank slate, stern and emotionless..._What must she be thinking?_, Scully wondered. They waited until Mulder returned and then Teena gestured that they all sit in the den.

Mulder walked in and his eyes immediately rested on the 9 ft tree lit up in the corner of the den. He turned around in a circle noticing the fireplace lit up with a wreath above it. "I'm sorry, I think we came to the wrong house," he announced.

Scully shot him a look that said, '_Shut up Mulder_!', but he was too in shock to respond. Teena told them to sit down and then brought them out a tray filled with both glittery Christmas and Hanukkah-shaped cookies and eggnog. "This is definitely the wrong house!", Mulder said, sitting next to Scully.

She turned her head to him slowly, shooting him a, '_I'm warning you_!', look. Teena seemed pleased that Scully could handle her son, as she watched the interaction between them. "Was it a long drive, Fox? With the holiday rush?"

"No...not too bad," he answered. "The 5 hr trip took closer to 7 hr's just getting through the greater D.C area at a snail's pace."

"So you're going to your parents home tomorrow?", Teena said turning her attention to Scully.

Scully looked a little frightened as she stared over to Teena. She had no ideal of how to deal with this woman. She was so different from her own mother, she had a cool exterior, a tight lip expression and aloofness that made Scully wonder how in the world this woman gave birth to such an emotional man as Mulder? "Ah...Yes...in very early. We need to be back in D.C tomorrow evening...we're back at work the day after."

Teena smiled slightly but even Scully could see that it was strained. This was a woman that rarely smiled, Scully figured.

"I hope your both hungry," Teena announced.

Mulder looked confused, shooting a look to Scully and then back towards his mother. "_You_ cooked?"

"It was catered," she said, standing up to lead them towards the dining room. "Since its been so long since we've spent a holiday together...I thought I'd combine a few things...after all...Hanukkah has already passed weeks ago."

"Hannukah?", Mulder stuttered. "Since when do you celebrate Hanukkah, mom?"

She turned around sharply. "I don't...You did once...as a boy. Do you remember?"

"Yes of course I remember," he said bewildered. "But we...we..."

"Fox...Close your mouth, that's unattractive to stand there with your mouth gaped open!"

Mulder closed his mouth and then turned to Scully who was lagging behind them. He rested his eyes upon her and she stepped up closer to him, grabbing his hand as if she would infuse some strength and patience into him. He nodded and she released her grip. He turned back to follow his mother into the grand dining room. The three of them sat at one end as the caterer, a small black haired woman in her 40's served up the soups. Scully could see that in her small trace of a bowl as well as Mulder's there was Matzo ball soup but in Teena's bowl there was Clam Chowder. It was strange to Scully because as formal as some of her mother's dinner's have been, there was still a homeyness to it that was lacking in this event. Teena sat as the head overseeing the dinner with Mulder and Scully glancing nervously back and forth to each other.. They ate their soups in silence and as soon as they had finished the caterer brought out the second course, a tiny loose-leaf salad. After that course, the caterer poured them more wine and served the main course of Beef brisket served with a wine sauce, potato latkes with applesauce, and glazed carrots. After the meal, they were served a thin wedge of pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

After the meal, Teena asked that the caterer bring them all out cups of coffee as they sat near the fire place. They retreated back to the den, both feeling stuffed to the brim. Scully sat closer to Mulder for moral support, knowing that despite the pleasantries earlier, at any moment, Mulder and his mother could explode into severe tension if not curtailed immediately. Teena was staring into the fireplace, waiting for the coffee and once it was served, she seemed to relax a little, for her that was. Scully couldn't help but study her, trying to compare her to her son. There were certain traits that were very familiar with Teena while others were so far from Mulder she couldn't distinguish them. Mulder though was anxious and he kept glancing back over to Scully for reassurance, his eyes telling her that if anything jumped off between him and his mother, they'd leave immediately and get a motel. It was amazing the messages they conveyed without words...as if she could hear his thoughts in her head like ESP. Teena broke Scully's concentration on Mulder as she told him to gather the two gifts under the tree. Mulder looked back into Scully's eyes, as if he were surprised again at his mother but dutifully, he stood up and walked over to the tree and reached under it without tipping the tree over and pulled out the gifts. He handed them to his mother but she held up her hands, and gestured for them to open them. Mulder again returned a look to Scully and passed her the gift labeled surprisingly with her name.

Mulder opened the gift slowly as if he thought it would explode, but found a leather bound Bible with gold lettering in the paper folds. He smiled at his mother and told her thank you. Scully too cautiously opened the gift. It was a red scarf, a plain cashmere scarf Scully knew cost $90 at Nordstrom's. She'd nearly bought the same scarf for her mother but decided against it. $90 for a scarf she'd thought was just too outrageous. _Nothing low-key in the Mulder household_, she thought to herself, and then felt badly that she'd thought such a thing after all of Teena's kindness.

Mulder smiled to his mother and pulled out a small box neatly wrapped with the nearly $500 cross pendant in it, handing it to her. "Its from the both of us," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Teena opened it. "Thank You Fox...Thank You Dana," she said, with little emotion.

Mulder looked deflated and then turned back to Scully with a 'I told you so', expression on his face.

"Well," Teena began. "I'm a little tired. I've got to pay the caterer and then I'm going to go rest," she said, standing up. She placed a hand on Mulder's shoulder as she stood over him. "Thank You for coming Fox. I'm glad to see you."

Mulder placed a warm hand on top of hers resting on his shoulder. "I love you mom."

"I love you too Fox," she said with a smile.

She reached out for Scully's hand and Scully placed it in Teena's. "Thank You Dana for coming."

"Thank You," Scully answered back.

"Well, I better go pay the caterer," she said, releasing her grip on the two of them and walked swiftly away.

Mulder was sporting a smile to Scully's surprise. "Mulder?"

"Scully...this is the closest I've ever come to having a regular family holiday with my mother," he said, quietly.

She looked down at her hands and then up into his eyes and smiled. "Can we just sit and look at the fire a bit?"

"Sure...I'll probably be staring at it all night," he sighed, taking off his suit jacket and sitting down on the floor, watching the flickering of flames.

Scully reached out and touched his head, running her fingers through his soft thick hair and then quickly removed it, sitting back pretending to look at the fire while watching Mulder out the corner of her eye.

**Reviews Are Welcomed: Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 4**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Scully turned in her sleep and fell off the couch straight on top of Mulder who'd fallen asleep on the floor beside her. She gasped at the full contact between herself and Mulder, she was looking him directly in the face, a mere inches from his lips. She lifted off of him as quickly as she could. "Oh god, Mulder...are you okay?", she said, standing over him.

"Scully, all you had to do was ask...", he said with a smile.

"Mulder," she whined. "Seriously, are you alright, did I hurt you? Did I crush you?"

"Scully, you weigh almost nothing...So no you didn't hurt me," he said, standing up. "What time is it?", he said, looking around in the dark.

The fire had died out and they were both standing around in Teena's den, searching for a clock. Finally Mulder spotted a small clock in the corner on a table. "It's 6 a.m. Christmas morning..."

"What time are we leaving here to drive to my mother's?'

"I dunno..."

Mulder could hear his mother's footsteps coming down the steps. She was dressed in a long robe and she walked right into the open den, surprised to see them both standing in front of her. "Didn't you sleep?", she said, noticing they were still dressed from the previous night.

"I'm afraid I fell asleep on your sofa, Mrs. Mulder." Scully said shyly.

"I fell asleep on the floor...", he said, with a goofy expression.

"I was just about to put some coffee on. Perhaps we could all have breakfast?", Teena asked.

Mulder looked around him, fidgeting slightly. "Ah...actually...Scully and I need to go soon...gotta get back on the road...it's a four hour drive to Baltimore," he said searching for his bag tucked in the corner. "Scully, why don't you use the upstairs shower and I'll use the one down here," he said, snatching up his bag and heading for the half bath near the kitchen.

"I'll still make coffee Fox...to keep you awake on the road," Teena said, turning towards the kitchen.

Both Mulder and Teena had left Scully alone in the den. She shrugged her shoulders and made her way towards the steps, up to the bedroom where she closed the door to change and take a quick shower. After she'd bathed, she brought her clothes in her overnight bag down with her and dropped them off near the door. Then she made her way into the kitchen. Teena was seated at the kitchen table. "Dana...come sit down with me," she said.

Scully moved past her to sit down. Teena poured her a hot cup of coffee. Scully smiled and poured cream into her coffee. Teena offered her a few sugar cubes but she politely refused. They sat in silence as they waited for Mulder. He appeared and sat down next to his mother and across from Scully. He smiled at his mother and then to Scully and then poured himself a cup of coffee as well, drinking it black.

"Are either of you hungry?", Teena asked.

"No, no...", Scully answered.

"We should be shoving off," Mulder said, gulping down the hot liquid. "It's good to spend this Christmas with you mom..."

"I'm pleased," she said, placing her hand on top of her sons.

Scully stood up to follow Mulder. "Thanks again for your hospitality, " Scully said to Teena.

"My pleasure, dear," she said, walking them to the door.

Mulder grabbed their bags and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Merry Christmas, mom."

"Merry Christmas Mrs. Mulder," Scully said, as she zipped past Mulder to stand outside, heading down the steps to the car.

"Merry Christmas Fox. Please be safe," Teena said.

Mulder waved and then caught up to Scully. He unlocked the car and she slipped in, burying herself in the now frozen blanket in the car. He tossed their bags in the trunk of the car and then carefully made his way to the driver's door. He turned to look back to the front door but Teena was gone, the door was closed behind her. Mulder rubbed his hands as he started the car and put the heat on full blast. He pulled out onto the harden snow covered road, heading back to the highway.

"Whew...we made it unscathed Scully...I can't believe we made it..."

She turned to face him, still hidden beneath her blanket. "You sound paranoid Mulder...like your mom was out to get you..."

"I'm just glad the whole affair didn't end up in an argument or something more drastic, Scully."

"From what I could tell...", Scully began. _Which isn't much,_ she thought to herself. "She was geniunely happy to see you Mulder."

He was silent a moment, looking around as the sky became brighter on that Christmas morning. "I think it was a bit too much, Scully."

"Too Much?", she nearly yelled. "You're kidding, right?"

"Why would you say that?", he said turning to face her.

"Well...ah...", Scully began. "It was very...low key compared to my own family holidays..."

"I'm sure," he said smiling. "I'm looking forward to it. I haven't seen your mom since you were...", he said trailing off.

"She really likes you, Mulder. That's why she keeps asking me to invite you to various things. Maybe oneday you'll get to meet my two brothers..."

"What's their names?"

"Charles is my baby brother," she said, proudly. "And Bill is my oldest brother," she said, rolling her eyes. "We don't get along that much..."

"What, like me and my mom or a different kind of not getting along?"

"Oh no, we love eachother..." She noticed then that she had put her foot in her mouth. "I mean...you and your mom love each other too..."

Mulder nodded his head slowly. "Yeah I guess..."

"Bill was always more of the man of the house while Dad was gone," she said, thinking back. "The rest of us resented it...especially Charlie and I. "

"Whats he like?"

Scully smiled a little. "Oh you'd have to find out for yourself," she said shaking her head.

"What I was getting at," he said, becoming serious. "The whole Hannukah/Christmas thing...she was trying too hard."

"At least she was trying," she said, looking out the window. "Isn't that what you want?"

"I guess I've been so hurt by it all I never really thought about it. I think you made the difference, Scully."

"What do you mean?"

"I think having you there really helped diffuse the situation that may have erupted had it been the two of us alone. Did I tell you thank you for coming with me?", he said, giving her one of his patented smiles.

Scully's heart skipped a beat as she looked into his penetrating eyes. She had to hold the sigh inside of her as she stared at him. He looked puzzled. "Scully? Did you hear me?"

"Hmm? What did you say, Mulder?"

"I said thank you for coming with me..."

"You're welcome...and thank you for coming with me to my mother's so I didn't have come up with some lame excuse as to why you'd prefer sitting alone getting fat off of chinese food..."

Mulder laughed. "Let's see whats on the radio, shall we?"

He pushed the button and Three Dog Night came on, he turned to Scully and she smiled. "Joy to the World...my favorite."

"Will you sing it Scully?"

"No, Mulder, you don't want me to sing...", she said, blushing.

"One day...", he said, turning the music up.

Scully was lip-sincing the words, smiling brightly back at him. He watched her lips as much as he could without veering off the road. When the song ended, he reached to turn the station but Scully held out her hand to stop him. Her fingers tingled against his hand and he in-took a little breath. It was getting harder to hide his emotions from her. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. He'd fallen in love with her even before she was taken by Duane Berry. Even before they had been separated when the X-Files was closed down...he'd fallen in love with her immediately...from the moment she'd walked in...something in him had changed with this stunningly beautiful woman who challenged him mentally and physically...physically because he had to resist touching her though he still found as many ways to touch her as he was legally capable. She removed her fingers and smiled at him shyly. He returned the smile. "Just a little ways Scully...and we'll be on the highway."

"Okay," she said, laying her head back down on her pillow that she re-wedged into the crevice between the door and her seat.

She pulled the blanket up past her shoulders but her eyes were open...she was thinking...Thinking about the man sitting next to her whose mere touch sent electricity coursing through her entire body. It was hard to hide her feelings but she was good at it. She even faked being offended at some of his innuendo's but mostly she liked them...it put images in her mind that she replayed when she was alone...But despite having feelings for him, she knew he could never look at her the same way. Plus there could be consequences if they did and having learned from past relationships, you never mix business with pleasure and she knew...she could tell from looking at Mulder that he would be pure pleasure. She closed her eyes, feeling ashamed of herself. This was Christmas morning and she was having dirty thoughts about her partner again. This partner that she wanted to kiss so badly she could taste it. Thank God they were on their way to her mother's house...that would be a good distraction from the raging thoughts that were going on in her head.

She turned to watch the road and the trees as Mulder pulled onto the highway. She glanced over to him watching him as he concentrated on the road. There were surprisingly more cars on the road than she'd expect on a Christmas morning but she was content to watch him...though she had to look away or else he'd feel her penetrating stare. There was something that made her feel so safe with him...she didn't know why but at this moment, wrapped in the blanket, next to him, smelling his masculine smell that waft over to her in the enclosed car...the scent of the man she smelled nearly daily...she had this overwhelming feeling of warmth and comfort...of safety...no longer could she spend Christmas without wanting and needing to hear his voice. She sighed a little, catching herself by surprise. Mulder reached out and smoothed his hand over her hair. "Go to sleep Scully...we have a long drive to your mother's..."

The touch of his hand on her head had sent shivers down her spine but she closed her eyes and relaxed and let herself fall asleep.

**Reviews Are Appreciated! Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 5**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Mulder pulled up in front of Maggie Scully's home and the minute he did, the front door swung open and Maggie waved to them from the front porch. Mulder gently woke Scully up. "Scully...we're here," he said.

Maggie threw on a coat and walked up to the car, opening the door. Scully stepped out and hugged her mother tightly. "Mom," she said, affectionately.

"Dana, so glad you came," she smiled warmly.

Mulder walked up to shake Maggie's hand but she looked at his hand and then pulled him in for a hug, catching him off guard. "Fox," she smiled. "Thank You for coming this time..."

Mulder blushed a little. "Come on in," she said turning and motioning for them to follow. Mulder grabbed the two wrapped presents for Maggie and followed behind the two women. He noticed the house was decorated with Christmas lights, unlike his own mother's home. He wondered who Maggie was paying to decorate her home. The minute Scully walked in she could feel the warmth, the warmth that was always present at her family's home no matter where they were stationed. There was a mingle of smells coming from the kitchen as well. Scully took off her coat and hung it up in the archway, as did Mulder. She smiled at him and he smiled back, looking around at the Scully home.

Maggie ushered them into the kitchen. She pulled out a Turkey from the oven, displaying it to them both. "Oh my...", Scully beamed.

"I hope you didn't do that because of us, Mrs. Scully...", Mulder said.

"This is what we have every year," Maggie said, brushing them off. "Its been a long time since I've seen my daughter...:," she said, pushing the turkey back into the oven. "And even longer since I've seen you Fox. Now come on...", she said, taking them directly into the dining room. "Sit down...Did you eat anything?'

"We kind of left without eating thing," Scully said, glancing over to Mulder.

"We only had coffee at my mom's house."

"Then you need to eat something...Dana...I made my homemade cinnamon rolls and I made my Christmas Breakfast wreath..."

Mulder arched his eyes. "That sounds yummy..."

"Mom, you didn't have to go through this much trouble for us...It's going to be just the three of us this year..."

"I'm used to cooking for a crowd," Maggie laughed. "I'll just send some home with you," she said, turning to head back into the kitchen.

Scully pulled out a chair and slumped down in it. "Sorry Mulder...my mom can get a little carried away at the holidays..."

"Oh no," he said, sitting next to her. "This is interesting...A chance for me to see what a real Christmas is like."

Scully looked appalled. "Mulder!", she said harshly. "Your mother went through all that trouble..."

"I'm not complaining," he said, interrupting her. "I didn't mean to complain..."

Maggie returned with a beautiful wreath made out of croissants stuffed with scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon and cheese. Mulder licked his lips just looking at it, displayed on a Christmas platter. In Maggie's other hand she brought out her famous homemade cinnamon rolls with pecans. Scully stood up to follow her mother back into the kitchen. They returned with orange juice and coffee.

"Brunch," Maggie announced. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas," Mulder and Scully repeated.

"Now for the blessing," Maggie smiled.

Scully and Maggie bowed their heads and made the sign of the cross. Mulder watched as they said a blessing and then both smiled to each other at the same time like twins. Mulder watched them fascinated. Here was a woman with nearly all of Scully's traits as he'd noticed before when Scully was missing but it was still amazing to see the strength emanating from both women. They were strong in a way that was different from his own mother. There was joy behind their eyes and love for each other. Scully didn't have to search for it, didn't have to yearn for it...it was freely given.

He grinned as Maggie loaded his plate with a large slice of the wreath and placed a nice gooey cinnamon roll on his plate. "Thank You," he said.

He caught Scully's eye but she looked away quickly, glancing over to her mother. Maggie was observing them closely. She knew her daughter loved Mulder and she knew that he loved her back but there was something preventing them from being together and she didn't know what it was but she'd let them work thing out on their own. She poured their coffee's and watched as Dana smiled over to Mulder who had begun devouring his food.

"Um mm...really good," he said, taking a bite out of the cinnamon roll.

Scully smiled bashfully and then turned back to her mother. Maggie shot her a knowing glance but Scully turned away, avoiding her mother's gaze. She quietly ate her food as Maggie caught her up on all the family news. Mulder listened intently and as soon as he was done with his food, Maggie loaded his plate again. He smiled appreciatively and ate a second helping. "Whew!", he said, "I'm gonna need to run..."

Both Maggie and Scully looked pleased.

"So how did your holiday go with your mother, Fox?"

Mulder could tell that Scully had discussed the issue of their strained relationship with Maggie. "It was...it was..."

"Better than you thought...", Scully said filling in the blanks.

"Actually it was...No one called the cops," he joked.

Maggie didn't react but instead gave him a warm smile, patting him on the hand. "Its good you spent time with your mother, Fox. I didn't realize how important it was until 3 yrs ago...", she said, glimpsing her daughter.

Scully bowed her head slightly. She never told either one of them that she'd seen her father sitting in the chair after he'd died that Christmas day.

"Well, Dana...will you help me?", Maggie said, gathering up the food. "Fox...you go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the living room. I'm pretty sure there's a station playing either a _Christmas Story_ or _Its a Wonderful Life _on all day long..."

Scully quietly followed behind her mother. Mulder made his way into the living room and plopped down on the comfortable sofa. He then turned on the TV and sure enough there was a few Holiday stand-by's on...including _Home Alone_. He chose to watch a _Christmas Story_ this time. Normally he'd be alone in his apartment having had run a few miles, the only soul out on Christmas morning having a Christmas jog. Then he'd shower and plop down in front of the boob-tube with an order of Chinese and watch _Its a Wonderful Life_ until he either passed out or couldn't take it any more. This was a much more pleasant memory so he chose a _Christmas Story_.

Scully and Maggie returned and Mulder muted the television. Maggie grabbed up a gift for them both and then gave Scully her gifts from her brothers. Mulder looked stunned as he twisted his gift around in his hands. "Mrs Scully..."

"Before you tell me I shouldn't have...I want you to know... of course I should...You're not only Dana's partner, Fox, but you're her best friend and you mean a lot to me," she said, holding his hand. "I consider you a family member."

Mulder blushed. "Well okay then," he said, ripping the present open. "Oh!', he said delighted. It was a silver and gold toned multi-functional watch. "It's incredible... Thank you," he said excitedly.

Scully giggled as she watched Mulder acting like a little boy receiving his favorite toy. Scully opened her gift, a small package. In it was a gift certificate to Victoria Secret. She turned to face her mother and Maggie gave her a wink. She blushed bright red.

"What did you get Scully?", he said like a little boy.

"Ah...oh...nothing," she said, closing the top back onto the box. She gave her mother the eye but then both women burst into laughter.

"Open the gifts from your brother...", Maggie urged her.

Scully carefully opened the gift from Charles. "It's probably a gag gift...he's the jokester of the family", she explained to Mulder. True to form, inside a box was a plastic package of Instant Irish Accent Breath Spray* with a small container of the spray. Scully rolled her eyes, "Ha ha, Charles...", she said, showing it to her mother.

Maggie giggled a little.

"As if the red hair wasn't enough," Scully sulked.

"Oh, Dana...you have to get him back..."

"I will," she said, fiercely.

Mulder looked amused. "I think I'd like your brother, Scully."

"You would," she said, handing him the spray so he could see. "This brother that is..."

Maggie's eyes arched. "Dana...don't go putting Bill down...He means no harm..."

Dana looked sheepishly towards her mother and then turned to her final gift from Bill. She opened it carefully again expecting a bomb to go off...after all it was from her brothers. When she unwrapped the package, there was a beautiful picture frame. "Oh...how nice..."

Dana looked at her mother and they both said at the same time, "Tara picked it out!"

"Well, I have a gift for my two favorite ladies," Mulder said, handing them both a package. He'd wrapped his gift for Scully and slipped it into his trench coat pocket until he enter the Scully home and put it safely under the tree.

Scully knew from the shape that it was flashlights, of course. She chuckled slightly looking at the package and then at Mulder who was waiting eagerly for her to open it. "Come on, Scully...open it..."

She tore the wrapping off of it and stared down at her gold Flashlights. "Thank You Mulder," she said trying to sound sincere.

"You don't like it?", he said startled.

"Oh no, I love it!", she smiled genuinely and then turned back towards Maggie. They exchanged glances letting each-other know that he was hopeless when it came to picking out gifts.

Scully then handed Mulder her gift, it was wrapped in a box. He tore the gold wrapping paper off of it and carefully opened the box within. He pulled out a beautiful statue of the Praying Buddha. "This is beautiful Scully..."

"Just adding a little tranquility to your life, Mulder," she said looking pleased.

"Thanks," he said, reaching over and letting his hands rub against her neckline.

She stiffened up slightly and then looked bashfully over to her mother who had that look on her face...the one that said...'_I know, I've been there._..' Scully was relieved when he removed his hand.

"Okay, you're turn Mrs. Scully," he said, waiting on Maggie.

She opened the box labeled _From Mulder _and saw a beautiful cardigan that she knew would fit well. "It's beautiful Fox," she smiled at him and then whispered a 'Thank You' to her daughter.

Scully shook her head with a smile. Maggie opened the other box and there was a matching cardigan of a different color from Dana. "You two shopped together...", she smiled.

"We did...", Mulder confessed.

"Well, Thank You both so much...Now...I want you two to relax a bit...I'll clean up...My neighbor's should be coming over in a bit."

"I didn't know you were having guests...", Scully spoke.

"Oh...well, I usually have them on Christmas Eve, as you know...but since you and Fox were at his mother's...I thought I'd invite them over today."

"Okay..."

"So sit and relax...and watch a little TV."

**Reviews Are Appreciated: Thanks!**

*******-Instant Irish Accent Breath Spray** is a real gag gift product found online.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Jewish Christmas?**

**Part 6  
**

**By Trycee**

**Time-Line: Season 4: After Paper Hearts and El Mundo Gria and Before: Leonard Betts, Never Again, and Momento Mori.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, it is owned by Chris Carter. This is written for Fun not profit.**

****This is a different take on the Mulder goes to Scully's House for Christmas. This is Scully goes to Mulder's mother's house for Christmas Eve and then Mulder goes to Scully's mom's house for Christmas day, season 4.**

Scully and Mulder relaxed on the couch watching A Christmas Story, when the door bell began to ring. Scully got up and opened it to a stream of neighbor's who'd come to swap gifts with Maggie. Scully didn't recognize any of them except for Mrs. Marshall, Maggie's elderly neighbor and friend. Her parents had moved back to Maryland after Ahab, Scully's dad, Captain William Scully had been re-assigned to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. And when he died, Maggie had moved to Baltimore, saying that Annapolis, where they were both from, having had all of their children in Annapolis and raising them most of the time there except for when Captain Scully had been reassigned to Japan and San Diego, California. Being alone in Annapolis had been too much for Maggie, she needed a new start and so she had moved to Baltimore, less than an hour away. Scully knew very little of the people who interacted daily with her mother, she was fascinated at the variety of people her mother associated with from her neighborhood and from St. Micheal's Catholic church, but at the same time, she didn't really feel that comfortable with them and was grateful she had Mulder there to talk too.

Maggie brought out eggnog, her famous homemade fruitcake made with real Bourbon and her neighbor's and friends also brought their cakes and pies which were all laid out on the dining room table. The more people that came, the more Mulder and Scully were pushed together on the couch until their bodies were pressed firmly against each other. Scully rolled her eyes in Mulder's direction as an elderly woman scooted next to her trying to make the four-seater couch into a six-seater, which pressed Scully further against Mulder. He moved his arm which was sandwiched against Scully's thigh and placed it loosely next to her head on the back of the couch. She moved in further to him trying to escape the unknown woman who sat next to her smelling of Bengay and peppermints.

Maggie could see them from where she was standing while she talked to one of her fellow parishioner's from St. Micheal's. She could see they were _extremely_ comfortable with being so close to each-other though her daughter was casting an evil glance at the woman beside her who seemed oblivious to Scully being pressed up beside her. But Mulder had a slight smirk on his face and she could tell he was really enjoying having Dana so close. She smiled at them both and then walked up to the couch. "Mrs. Richardson," she said, speaking to the woman next to Scully. "There's food in the dining room, would you like some?"

"Oh yes," the elderly woman said, standing up and grabbing a hold of the others who had all crammed onto the seat.

Maggie waited until they had left to turn to her daughter and Mulder who were still practically sitting on eachother's laps. "Would you like something? A piece of fruitcake or egg nog before it's gone?"

"I'd love some," Mulder answered, his cheeks a little red as he continued to sit with his hand across the back near Scully's head.

Scully suddenly noticed that she was still against Mulder and she moved away slightly. "I'll help you mom..."

"Oh no, Dana...it's okay," Maggie smiled looking pleased. "I'll bring it out to you both," she said, turning to walk into the dining room.

Scully sheepishly glanced over to Mulder and then moved a little further away giving them distance though she still sat close enough that if he stretched his legs, his knee would be laying against hers.

"I can't wait for them to all leave...", Scully sighed. "I'm as social as my mother but typically this happens the day before...Christmas is usually more calm," she tried to explain.

"It's okay, Scully," Mulder said, reaching for her hand and touching it momentarily before breaking contact. "So what else happens today?"

"Well...normally we'd go to at least two masses...we don't have too but my parents were firm about it," she said, as her head drooped down slightly as she thought about her father. "It was tradition...we'd go to Midnight mass Christmas eve...when we got home...typically I would fall asleep on the couch...sometimes Missy would too...and we'd get up and open our presents...then we'd have breakfast...play with our toys...then have lunch...and then we'd go to Evening Mass...a special Christmas Day mass...we'd miss the morning mass but we'd make it for the evening mass every year...", she said, focusing on him. "And when we got back, we'd have a completely different meal than what we had for Christmas Eve...when mom would have turkey and all the trimmings just like Thanksgiving. But Christmas day...we've have Spiced Beef or a Pot Roast or Ham...and all this food...", she said fondly.

"Why so much food?", Mulder asked.

"You forgot...Mulder...There were three men in the family...we were a family of Six. There wouldn't be much left after Christmas Eve dinner...", she laughed. "Knowing mom...just because we came this year she'll probably have a little bit of both...I think we made her year coming this time...me and you..."

Mulder looked delighted. "Well...I'm glad we came..."

"I still feel like we should've stayed longer with your mom though, Mulder..."

"Scully...Christmas at my house was dead...There was no special meals on Christmas eve or Christmas day...those times of the year...my mom would be gone...probably hosting some event at her church or just leaving me there alone, after Sam disappeared. I'd wake up, pour myself a bowl of cereal...watch Its a Wonderful Life on t.v., make myself a sandwich for dinner and go to bed...or my parents would be fighting because my dad would get mad at her and insist that I spend it with him...where we'd eat Chinese food...and he'd get drunk and I'd stay out of his way."

Maggie walked in with a platter and handed them both her homemade fruitcake and eggnog. "Is everything alright?", she said, noticing the sour look on both of their faces.

"I was just telling Scully what my family did on this day," he said embarrassed.

"Oh really," Maggie said excitedly, sitting down next to her daughter. "Did Dana explain the candle in the window?", she said, pointing. "Its an Irish Christmas custom..."

"No, I didn't, " Scully said, shaking her head.

"That's pretty neat," Mulder said, quietly. "My mom and dad are both Dutch...I wonder what they would do...", he said, with his voice trailing off.

"I didn't know they were Dutch, Mulder," Scully said, looking surprised.

"Kuipers, my mom's maiden name is Dutch and Mulder is a Dutch name as well...mainly a Jewish Dutch name."

"Hmm," Maggie said. "You learn something new every day...So what did you're family do on the holidays, Fox?"

Scully turned sharply to face her mother. Her posture and eyes told her mother, '_You don't want to know_'. Maggie got the hint and when Mulder didn't respond, she excused herself and went back to the dining room area where most of her guest were congregating. Scully turned her attention back to Mulder. "Try my mom's fruitcake, Mulder...it's the best."

He bit into it and a moan escaped his mouth. "Ooh, Scully, that's good...I never liked fruitcake before but that's fantastic..."

"I know...," she giggled. "She starts making it at the beginning of the month. She makes enough for the whole neighborhood practically. Bill and Charles get one sent to them every year..."

Within a few minutes, Mulder had devoured his piece and started pinching off of Scully's. She snatched her plate away and ate her own piece greedily, making sure Mulder was unable to snatch a single crumb. "Get your own!", she barked, but Mulder was too busy laughing at her childish attempts to conceal food to continue grabbing for it. She too started laughing and they looked at each other again breaking into laughter. "I'm glad you're here, Mulder. You made my mother's day, honestly. Now if only Bill and Charles and they're families were here she'd be over-joyed!"

"I'm glad...", he smiled. "But don't press your luck next year, Scully."

"Oh and eating Chinese and running outdoors freezing your '_ass off_' ", she whispered quietly so her mother and her church member's wouldn't hear her use profanity. "Is better than coming with me when my mother insists that you come...You know she will next year as well. Besides if you came next year, you'd get to meet Bill and Charles..."

"No, it's not better but it's better than being at my mom's...despite this being a better holiday spent with her since...ever..."

Scully quietly spoke. "Just be grateful for the time you spent with her yesterday, Mulder...that's all you can do. She did the best she could...she treated you right, yesterday. She treated me right...she even had food catered...Be grateful that it went so smoothly and you didn't leave in anger..."

"Okay," he said, deciding to drop the subject. "I'm letting it go...Scully, I promise."

"Okay," she smiled.

After the guest left, Maggie and Dana with Mulder in tow made their way to the special evening Mass at St. Micheals Catholic Church. Maggie was thrilled to have them both there. Mulder having been Protestant in his teens until he stopped attending church, knew nothing of the ceremonies, songs, or even prayers. Scully kept a watchful eye on him as he stood in the middle of both women. He followed her lead and she explained each rite as they went along. But she could see the relief in his face when it was over, but he made sure to smile appreciatively to Maggie, keeping his true feelings to himself. After mass, they came back to Maggie's home where she had prepared a large meal for just the three of them.

Maggie brought out the large Turkey she had been cooking earlier, along with a roast, and various trimmings.

"Mom!", Scully said, alarmed. "Really...it's just the three of us...we can't possibly eat this much food..."

"Dana, I told you I'm used to cooking for a crowd. I'll send home some for you and Fox...and I'll share some with my neighbor's," she said, hushing her daughter up.

Mulder had helped set the table and then sat across from Scully with Maggie at the head. They again bowed their heads as both Scully and Maggie said their blessings and made the sign of the cross.

"Fox, would you do the honor's?", Maggie smiled.

Mulder looked nervously over to Scully but then smiled politely and got up to cut the turkey. "I honestly never did this before," he sighed. "But, I'll try..."

He carefully cut the turkey and served both women and himself and then sat back down to eat. After the meal, Scully's brother Charles called and she rushed to the kitchen to speak to him on the phone.

"Charles...where in the world did you find such a crack-pot gift? Online? Yeah...real funny...I'll get you back...", she laughed. "Actually my partner is here...no...He's my work partner, Charles...my best friend...Fox Mulder...That's not funny, Charles," she said, glancing into the dining room to see if Mulder heard her. He was chatting away with Maggie, eating another piece of Fruitcake. "No...there's nothing going on between us...I know my history...Mom doesn't...oh...who told her? Missy! What did she say? God...I'm embarrassed...Did Dad know? Oh god...", she cursed.

She glanced again towards the dining room. "So what did she tell you about Mulder...Oh my god...no...How can you tell from the sound of my voice, Charles? Missy told you I said that...Man, did she ever keep secrets? Okay...I'll admit that much...", she said, glancing back towards Mulder. His attention was on Maggie as they laughed about something. "No...we're best friends...I don't care what Bill said about it...he doesn't even know him. Well, I'm glad at least you're open minded. Okay, I'll let you talk to mom...Bye, I love you."

She called out to Maggie and she came into the kitchen to speak to her youngest son. Scully made her way back into the dining room. "That was my youngest brother Charles...", she explained. "We missed Bill's call...I'll talk to him later..."

"I think we better head out now Scully...so we can rest up before we head back to work tomorrow."

She looked over to Mulder and then stood up. "Okay...Let's help my mom pack up this food...and then we'll go..."

Maggie hugged Mulder whom she strapped down with plenty of leftover's for both of their homes. "Don't be a stranger now, Fox...You're like family..."

"I won't Mrs. Scully," he said, heading for the car.

Maggie then turned her attention on her youngest and now only daughter. "Dana...honey...when are you going to tell him how you feel?"

"MOM!", Scully said sharply.

"Dana...I've watched you two all day...Are you going to stand here in front of me and tell me you don't love him?"

Scully turned a scarlet shade that matched her red hair as she stood in her coat, with a bag of presents in her hand, standing in the hallway by the front door, looking out to where Mulder was stuffing the ton of food Maggie had given them into the backseat.

She lowered her eyes in front of her mother. "Mom...I can't..."

"Dana...you can't wait forever...", she said, warmly.

Scully kissed her mother on the cheek. "Bye Mom...Merry Christmas."

"Bye Dana...You two drive safe...call me when you get back home, let me know you got there safely."

"I will," she said, opening the door and walking to the car. After Mulder placed the gifts in the back seat, they both waved back to Maggie, and then drove off.

Mulder pulled up in front of Scully's apartment and helped her bring up her gifts and food. He turned to face her as he made his way back to the front door. He paused there a moment with his hand on the knob. "Scully...I know I said this before...but thank you for coming...this whole experience...seeing my mother...getting to see yours again and spending Christmas there...I just wanted to say thank you..."

Scully cast her eyes down. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. "You're welcome, Mulder...we're friends, Mulder. Best friends..."

"Friends...", Mulder said dryly. He gazed at her for a long moment. "Good night, Scully...See you in the morning..."

"Merry Christmas Mulder..."

"Merry Christmas Scully..."

She watched as he closed the door behind him and she stood there a second, thinking back over the past two days...suddenly her apartment seemed so empty. Mulder stood with his back to her door, mentally kicking himself. He wanted to tell her how he truly felt...but he couldn't yet say it. He wanted her to know that it meant everything to him to have her go with him to visit his mother. She was there for him the entire step of the way, she always was. She was the one woman in the world that he could depend on and he loved her for that...more than she could ever know. Mulder smiled to himself and then pushed off from her door. He placed his hand against the wall, he breathed deeply and then made the lone walk down to the elevator to go back home alone.

**The End**

**Reviews Are Appreciated!**


End file.
